Interactive sidewall display system and method

ABSTRACT

There is described a system and method for setting virtual boundaries ( 402 A-D) on an interactive sidewall display device ( 202 ) in a vehicle ( 102 ), the virtual boundaries ( 402 A-D) defining individual passenger-specific regions for user interaction.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S.application No. 62/015,668 filed Jun. 23, 2014, entitled “InteractiveSidewall Display System And Method”, the entire contents of which arehereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of display devices invehicles and more particularly, to display devices that are interactivefor passengers.

BACKGROUND OF THE ART

A structural window in an aircraft has been the standard to enableoccupants to view the exterior environment. As technology evolves, thereis significant interest in replacing structural windows in aircraftswith digital wall panels that can act as interactive digital displays.

However, certain technical challenges arise when considering the actualimplementation in vehicles such as aircrafts and trains, especially whenpassenger interaction is an objective.

SUMMARY

There is described a system and method for dynamically settingboundaries on an interactive sidewall display system in a vehicle, theboundaries defining individual passenger-specific regions for userinteraction.

In accordance with a first broad aspect, there is provided interactivesidewall display system. The system comprises at least one displaydevice extending along an inner sidewall of a vehicle and spanning atleast two seats disposed in successive rows, the display device beingresponsive to input commands from passengers for displaying informationand images thereon. A control module is operatively connected to the atleast one display device and configured to set at least one virtualboundary for the at least one display device, the virtual boundarydefining user-specific regions for passenger interaction with thedisplay device.

In some embodiments, the control module is configured to determine aseat pitch between the successive rows and set the at least one virtualboundary as a function of the seat pitch. The control module may also beconfigured to receive as input a seat pitch between the successive rows,and set the at least one virtual boundary as a function of the seatpitch as received. The control module may be configured to receive asinput one of a selection of seats defining a zone and a zone comprisinga set of pre-selected seats, and a seat pitch for seats of the zone, andset the at least one virtual boundary as a function of the seat pitchfor the zone.

In some embodiments, the control module may be configured to applyvirtual boundaries to a plurality of zones in the vehicle, each one ofthe zones defining a set of seats, wherein the virtual boundaries in afirst zone define regions of a size that differs from the virtualboundaries in a second zone. The first zone may comprise a plurality ofsuccessive rows, wherein the second zone is adjacent to the first zoneand comprises a single row, and a third zone adjacent to the second zonecomprises a plurality of successive rows, the virtual boundaries in thefirst and the third zones defining regions of a size that differs fromthe virtual boundaries in the second zone. In some embodiments, at leasttwo of the plurality of zones span a same display device.

In some embodiments, the at least one display device comprises aplurality of display devices and the control module is configured toreceive as input a selected display device from the plurality of displaydevices for applying the at least one virtual boundary thereto.Alternatively or in combination therewith, the at least one displaydevice and the control module may comprise wireless transmission meansfor communicating together. In addition, the control module may beconfigured to display borders on the display device at the at least onevirtual boundary to visually define the user-specific regions.

In some embodiments, the at least one virtual boundary is asubstantially vertical boundary that separates the display device intothe user-specific regions.

In accordance with another broad aspect, there is provided a method forproviding an interactive sidewall display system. The method comprisesextending at least one display device along an inner sidewall of avehicle to span at least two seats disposed in successive rows, thedisplay device being responsive to input commands from passengers fordisplaying information and images thereon; operatively connecting acontrol module to the at least one display device; and setting at leastone virtual boundary on the at least one display device from the controlmodule, the at least one virtual boundary defining user-specific regionsfor passenger interaction.

In some embodiments, dynamically setting the at least one virtualboundary comprises setting the at least one virtual boundary as afunction of a seat pitch between the successive rows.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises inputting a seat pitchbetween the successive rows, and setting the at least one virtualboundary as a function of the seat pitch.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises inputting one of aselection of seats defining a zone and a zone comprising a set ofpre-selected seats, and a seat pitch between the successive rows of thezone, and setting the at least one virtual boundary as a function of theseat pitch for the zone.

In some embodiments, setting the at least one virtual boundary comprisesapplying virtual boundaries to a plurality of zones in the vehicle, eachone of the zones defining a set of seats in successive rows, wherein thevirtual boundaries in a first zone define regions of a size that differsfrom the virtual boundaries in a second zone. The first zone maycomprise a plurality of successive rows, wherein the second zone isadjacent to the first zone and comprises a single row, and a third zoneadjacent to the second zone comprises a plurality of successive rows,the virtual boundaries in the first and the third zones defining regionsof a size that differs from the virtual boundaries in the second zone.In some embodiments, at least two of the plurality of zones span a samedisplay device.

In some embodiments, extending at least one display device comprisesextending a plurality of display devices and further comprisinginputting a selected display device from the plurality of displaydevices to the control module for applying the at least one virtualboundary thereto.

In some embodiments, operatively connecting a control module to the atleast one display device comprises connecting the control module and theat least one display device wirelessly.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises displaying borders onthe display device at the at least one virtual boundary to visuallydefine the user-specific regions.

In some embodiments, the at least one virtual boundary is asubstantially vertical boundary that separates the display device intothe user-specific regions.

In accordance with yet another broad aspect, there is provided a methodfor providing an interactive sidewall display system having at least onedisplay device extending along an inner sidewall of a vehicle andspanning at least two seats disposed in successive rows, the at leastone display device being responsive to input commands from passengersfor displaying information and images thereon. The method comprisessetting at least one virtual boundary on the at least one display devicefrom a control module operatively connected to the at least one displaydevice, the at least one virtual boundary defining user-specific regionsfor passenger interaction.

In this specification, the examples illustrate an interactive sidewalldisplay system in an aircraft. It should be understood that the systemmay also be provided in other vehicles having successive rows of seatsalong a sidewall, such as trains, buses, subway cars, limousines, andother automobiles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description, taken in combinationwith the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an aircraft as per the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an aircraft with an interactivesidewall display system, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment for a controlmodule;

FIG. 4a is a schematic illustration of virtual boundaries being set inaccordance with a seat pitch D₁, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 4b is a schematic illustration of virtual boundaries being set inaccordance with a seat pitch D₂>D₁, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of an interactive sidewall displaysystem having multiple display devices, in accordance with oneembodiment;

FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of virtual boundaries displayed asborders on the display device, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 7a is a schematic illustration of virtual windows provided on thedisplay device in between the virtual boundaries, in accordance with oneembodiment;

FIG. 7b is a schematic illustration of virtual windows that aredisplaceable, provided on the display device in between the virtualboundaries, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 7c is a schematic illustration of virtual windows that arescalable, provided on the display device in between the virtualboundaries, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 7d is a schematic illustration of using the display device as anin-flight entertainment system, in accordance with one embodiment; and

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for providing aninteractive sidewall display system.

It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like featuresare identified by like reference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a cross-sectional side view of anaircraft 102 as per the prior art. Seats 104 a, 104 b, 104 c areprovided in successive rows. Structural windows 106 a, 106 b, 106 c areprovided in the aircraft frame and consist of structural external andinternal components that allow a passenger to see outside during flight.The windows 106 a, 106 b, 106 c are spaced in accordance with apredetermined setting defined by the aircraft manufacturer and as such,do not necessarily align with each row of seats 106 a, 106 b, 106 c.This is especially true when the aircraft 102 comprises varied spacingbetween seats, also known as pitch. The seat pitch may vary as afunction of various criteria, such as travel class (i.e. economy,business, or first class), the presence of an exit, and other physicallimitations.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates the aircraft 102 with the windows 106a, 106 b, 106 c having been replaced or covered by a display device 202.The display device 202 extends along an inner sidewall of the aircraftand spans at least two of the seats 106 a, 106 b, 106 c. In the Figureshown, the display device 202 spans along the plurality of seats 106 a,106 b, 106 c. In some embodiments, the display device 202 is embedded inthe sidewall of the aircraft 202. Alternatively, the display device 202is a pull-down display that selectively covers the structural windows.The display device 202 may be made of a flexible material that mateswith the curved surface of the sidewall of the aircraft 102, or it maybe a more rigid structure with spacing provided between the displaydevice 202 and the aircraft fuselage.

Although the Figures shown herein describe the invention in the contextof an aircraft 102, as previously indicated, the present invention isequally as applicable to other transportation vehicles, such as trains,buses, subway cars, limousines, and other automobiles, for example.

The display device 202 is adapted for presentation of information(including text and images) in visual form and may be provided usingvarious technologies, such as, but not limited to, Light-emitting diodes(LEDs), Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD), Organic light-emitting diodes(OLEDs), surface-conduction electron-emitter display (SED), plasmadisplay panel (PDP), electroluminescent display (ELD), and laser videodisplay. In some embodiments, the display device 202 is controlled viaany one of touch, gestures, and sound. For example, the display device202 may be a touchscreen responsive to input from a finger, a stylus,and/or a specially coated glove. Alternatively, the display device 202is controlled by a mouse, touchpad, or any other intermediate inputdevice that may be used to control what is displayed and how it isdisplayed.

A control module 204 is operatively connected to the display device 202.This connection may be wired or wireless. A wireless connection may beprovided through various types of networks, such as Wi-Fi, Cellular,Personal Area Network, and the Internet, or using various wirelesstechnologies such as Radio Frequency, Bluetooth, and Infrared. Thedisplay device 202 may be powered using its own power source, such as abattery, it may be connected directly into the power source (orelectrical system) of the aircraft 102, or it may use alternative powersource such as solar power. The control module 204 may be a stand-aloneapparatus provided anywhere within the vehicle, such as at the front orback with the pilot or the flight crew. Alternatively, the controlmodule 204 may be integrated within an existing system onboard of thevehicle, such as a flight management system or a control system forinflight entertainment (IFE). Also alternatively, the control module 204may reside on an electronic device (not shown), such as a laptopcomputer, a personal digital assistant (FDA), a smartphone, a tablet orthe like, adapted to communicate over a wireless network with thedisplay device 202. The control module 204 may be provided in part or inits entirety directly on the electronic device as a native application,or as a web application.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary embodiment for the control module 204.The control module 204 may comprise, amongst other things, a processor304 in data communication with a memory 302 and having a plurality ofapplications 306 a, . . . , 306 n running thereon. The processor 304 mayaccess the memory 302 to retrieve data. The processor 304 may be anydevice that can perform operations on data. Examples are a centralprocessing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, and a front-end processor,among other possibilities.

The applications 306 a, . . . , 306 n are coupled to the processor 304and configured to perform various tasks. In particular, the application306 a may be configured to dynamically set virtual boundaries on thedisplay device 202 from the control module 204 operatively connectedthereto. It should be understood that while the applications 306 a, . .. , 306 n presented herein are illustrated and described as separateentities, they may be combined or separated in a variety of ways. Anoperating system (not shown) may be used as an intermediary between theprocessor 304 and the applications 306 a, . . . , 306 n. Cloud computingmay also be used such that the control module 204 is provided partiallyor entirely in the cloud. In some embodiments, the application 306 a maybe downloaded directly onto the electronic devices and application 306 ncommunicates with application 306 a via a network.

The memory 302 accessible by the processor 304 may receive and storedata, such as settings for the display device 202, or registeredpassenger/user preferences to be retrieved by an external database. Thememory 302 may be a main memory, such as a high speed Random AccessMemory (RAM), or an auxiliary storage unit, such as a hard disk or flashmemory. The memory 302 may be any other type of memory, such as aRead-Only Memory (ROM), Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM),or optical storage media such as a videodisc and a compact disc.

Referring now to FIG. 4a , there is illustrated an interactive sidewalldisplay system comprising the display device 202 and the control module204. In order to allow each passenger having a window seat his or herown user-defined (i.e. passenger-defined) area for interaction with thedisplay device 202, the control module 204 is configured to set virtualboundaries on the display device 202. The virtual boundaries defineuser-specific regions for passenger interaction, that may, in accordancewith some embodiments be set according to seat pitch. The user-specificregions are set to correspond to the area surrounding a passenger, fromthe backseat of the row ahead to his or her own backseat. Virtualboundaries 402 a, 402 b, 402 c, 402 d are aligned with the rows of seats104 a, 104 b, 104 c to ensure maximum display regions for eachpassenger. In an alternative example, the virtual boundaries may not beset to provide maximum display regions, and may instead be set so thatadjacent regions to not abut against each other. In other words, it ispossible to have a small “dead zone” between two adjacent regions sothat there is a small buffer of space between adjacent regions in whichpassengers cannot interact with the display device 202. This may providesome viewing privacy between each user-specific region.

In some embodiments, the virtual boundaries 402 a, 402 b, 402 c, 402 dare set as a function of seat pitch, which refers to the space between apoint on one seat and the same point on the seat in front of it. In FIG.4a , the seat pitch is set to D₁, measured as the distance between thefront stud of a seat and the front stud of the seat in front of it. Thevirtual boundaries 402 a, 402 b, 402 c, 402 d are thus set accordingly.FIG. 4b illustrates an embodiment with a seat pitch of D₂>D₁. Thevirtual boundaries 404 a, 404 b, 404 c, 404 d are thus set to positionswhich are more spaced apart than those provided by virtual boundaries402 a, 402 b, 402 c, 402 d and the user-specific regions have a greaterwidth.

In some embodiments, the control module 204 is configured to determinethe seat pitch between successive rows and set the boundariesaccordingly. This may be done using sensors provided in the fuselage toautomatically collect data that may be interpreted to determine seatpitch. Alternatively, the control module 204 may access informationregarding specifications of the aircraft 204 and extract seat pitchinformation therefrom. This information may be provided in theaircraft's onboard maintenance system or other onboard system. Alsoalternatively, the data may be accessed online and retrieved from aremote location.

In some embodiments, the control module 204 is configured to receive asinput the seat pitch between the successive rows and set the boundariesaccordingly. The seat pitch information may be input using a variety ofinput devices, such as a touch screen, a keypad, a mouse, etc. Availableseat pitches may have been pre-programmed into the system and inputtingthe seat pitch comprises making a selection from the list of possibleseat pitches. For example, an aircraft may be configured to have apre-determined set of seating configurations that are possible withinthe aircraft, and seat pitch information corresponding to each of thepre-determined seating configurations may be stored within the memory302 to be selected by an operator of the control module 204.

In other embodiments, the virtual boundaries 402 a, 402 b, 402 c, 402 dare set as a function of other criteria, such as human ergonomic factorsrelating to the portion of the side wall that can be comfortably touchedby a passenger when sitting in the seat, or the distance between aseat's passenger-facing surface and the rear of the seat in front. Thereare a variety of different criteria that could be used for setting thevirtual boundaries 402 a, 402 b, 402 c, 402 d that would be apparent toa person of skill in the art. For example, a seat configuration havingfacing seats may consider other criteria for providing a user-specificregion to each passenger.

Similarly, the virtual boundaries 402 a, 402 b, 402 c, 402 d may be setonly in a horizontal direction, as illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B, withthe virtual boundaries 402 a, 402 b, 402 c, 402 d delineating theseparation between adjacent passenger defined areas for interaction withthe display device 202. However, in an alternative embodiment, virtualboundaries may also be set in the vertical direction, such that theremay be an upper ceiling to the region defining the passenger's area forinteraction with the display device 202. Likewise, there could also be abottom virtual boundary.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, there may be a plurality of display devices504 a, 504 b, 504 c in a same aircraft 102 and therefore, one of theinputs provided to the control module 204 may be which of the displaydevices 504 a, 504 b, 504 c the virtual boundaries are being set for. Inthe example of FIG. 5, rows A to C are in first class, row D is an exitrow, and rows E to H and J to M are economy class rows separated byanother exit row I. The seat pitch thus varies throughout the aircraft102 and the virtual boundaries may be set dynamically as a function ofseat pitch. An exit row may or may not have a portion of the displaydevice, depending on whether the device is pull-down or embedded withinthe sidewall.

In some embodiments, the virtual boundaries are set for each rowindependently. In other embodiments, multiple rows of a same seat pitchare grouped into zones and the virtual boundaries are set per zone. Forexample, rows A to C may correspond to Zone A, row D may correspond toZone B, rows D to H may correspond to Zone C, row I may correspond toZone D, and rows J to M may correspond to Zone E. In an alternativeembodiment, a zone comprises rows that have a same seat pitch but arenot necessarily successive. For example, rows A to C may correspond toZone A, rows D and I may correspond to Zone B, and rows E to H and J toM may correspond to Zone C. Other grouping configurations for zones mayalso be provided. In these embodiments, the control module 204 isconfigured to receive as input either a selection of seats defining azone or a selected zone comprising a set of pre-selected seats. The seatpitch for the zone may also be provided as input or determinedautomatically once the zone has been selected/defined.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment whereby the control module 204 isconfigured to display borders 602 on the display device 202 in order tovisually define the user-specific regions. The borders 602 may begenerated to mimic actual joints in sidewalls typically found inaircrafts. Alternatively, the borders may be set as narrow or broadlines that frame each user-specific region. A color and/or motif may beset as desired by a crew member via the control module 204 or by apassenger via the display device 202.

In some embodiments, the display device 202 may display virtual windows702 a, 702 b, 702 c in the user-specific regions, as illustrated inFIGS. 7a to 7d . The entire display device 202 may be set to display avirtual wall with a set of virtual windows 702 a, 702 b, 702 c that candisplay user selectable images within the virtual window's viewing pane.For example, the virtual windows 702 a, 702 b, 702 c may display anoutside environment, with a view having been pre-recorded orcorresponding to a view as captured from a camera 704 mounted on theexterior of the aircraft 102. The control module 204 may be configuredto display the virtual windows 702 a, 702 b, 702 c at a predeterminedposition within each user-specific region to ensure that the virtualwindows 702 a, 702 b, 702 c are properly aligned with the seats 104 a,104 b, 104 c throughout the aircraft. The position of the virtualwindows 702 a, 702 b, 702 c may be central within the user-specificregions, or it may be offset from the center to optimize a viewingposition for the passenger.

In some embodiments, the virtual windows 702 a, 702 b, 702 c areadjustable in position, size, and shape by the passengers to allow eachpassenger to customize his/her virtual window individually. In theexample illustrated in FIG. 7b , window 702 b has been moved to adifferent height, providing the passenger a better vantage pointdepending on his or her specific height. In the example of FIG. 7c ,window 702 a has been resized and window 702 c has been modified to becircular instead of elliptical. In the example of FIG. 7d , window 702 bhas been modified to display a digital representation of a closed shadeon a structural window in order to block out the exterior view, or of apercentage of transparency/opacity variable between 0 and 100%.

The user-specific regions may be used as an in-flight entertainmentsystem. Audio entertainment and video entertainment may be provided atlarge or on an individual basis in the aircraft. In-flight movies,television, games, and other on-demand content may be provided. A movingmap system providing real-time flight information may also be provided.As illustrated in FIG. 7d , the virtual window may be removed andreplaced by other content for display. For example, the passenger inseat 104 c has removed the virtual window in his/her user-specificregion and has opted to display a movie 706 a, while tracking theprogress of the flight 706 b. Any changes made to what is displayed onthe display device 202 in each user-specific region is confined to thespace defined by the virtual boundaries 402 a, 402 b, 402 c, 402 d. Thepassengers may scale and position content within the virtual boundariesas desired and configuration of content in the space defined by one setof virtual boundaries does not affect the content in adjacent spaces.

Referring to FIG. 8, there is illustrated a method 800 for providing aninteractive sidewall display system. In a first step 802, at least onedisplay device 202 is extended along the inner sidewall of the aircraft102 to span a plurality of seat 104 a, 104 b, 104 c disposed insuccessive rows. As per step 804, the display device 202 is thenconnected to the control module 204 for communication therebetween. Onceconnection is made, inputs may be provided 806 to the control module204. The inputs may be manual, such as a member of the flight crewentering information into a graphical user interface. The inputs mayalso be obtained by the control module 204 itself using pre-configuredsettings. For example, data regarding seat pitch, display devices,zones, etc, may be saved in the memory 302 of the control module 204 andonce activated, the application 306 a may be configured to cause theprocessor to access the memory and retrieve the settings for theaircraft. The application 306 a may also be configured to access dataremote to the control module 204 via a network or an electricalconnection to other systems within the aircraft. The method 800 iscompleted by dynamically setting the virtual boundaries 808 on thedisplay device 202 from the control module 204. The boundaries definethe user-specific regions for passenger interaction at each row of theaircraft.

While illustrated in the block diagrams as groups of discrete componentscommunicating with each other via distinct data signal connections, itwill be understood by those skilled in the art that the presentembodiments are provided by a combination of hardware and softwarecomponents, with some components being implemented by a given functionor operation of a hardware or software system, and many of the datapaths illustrated being implemented by data communication within acomputer application or operating system. The structure illustrated isthus provided for efficiency of teaching the present embodiment. Itshould be noted that the present invention can be carried out as amethod and can be embodied in a system or on a computer readable medium.The embodiments of the invention described above are intended to beexemplary only. The scope of the invention is therefore intended to belimited solely by the scope of the appended claims.

1. An interactive sidewall display system, comprising: at least onedisplay device extending along an inner sidewall of a vehicle andspanning at least two seats disposed in successive rows, the displaydevice being responsive to input commands from passengers for displayinginformation and images thereon; and a control module operativelyconnected to the at least one display device and configured to set atleast one virtual boundary for the at least one display device, thevirtual boundary defining user-specific regions for passengerinteraction with the display device.
 2. The system of claim 1, whereinthe control module is configured to determine a seat pitch between thesuccessive rows and set the at least one virtual boundary as a functionof the seat pitch.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the control moduleis configured to receive as input a seat pitch between the successiverows, and set the at least one virtual boundary as a function of theseat pitch as received.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the controlmodule is configured to receive as input one of a selection of seatsdefining a zone and a zone comprising a set of pre-selected seats, and aseat pitch for seats of the zone, and set the at least one virtualboundary as a function of the seat pitch for the zone.
 5. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the control module is configured to apply virtualboundaries to a plurality of zones in the vehicle, each one of the zonesdefining a set of seats, wherein the virtual boundaries in a first zonedefine regions of a size that differs from the virtual boundaries in asecond zone.
 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first zone comprisesa plurality of successive rows, the second zone is adjacent to the firstzone and comprises a single row, and a third zone adjacent to the secondzone comprises a plurality of successive rows, the virtual boundaries inthe first and the third zones defining regions of a size that differsfrom the virtual boundaries in the second zone.
 7. The system of claim5, wherein at least two of the plurality of zones span a same displaydevice.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one displaydevice comprises a plurality of display devices and the control moduleis configured to receive as input a selected display device from theplurality of display devices for applying the at least one virtualboundary thereto.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least onedisplay device and the control module comprise wireless transmissionmeans for communicating together.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein thecontrol module is configured to display borders on the display device atthe at least one virtual boundary to visually define the user-specificregions.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one virtualboundary is a substantially vertical boundary that separates the displaydevice into the user-specific regions.
 12. A method for providing aninteractive sidewall display system, the method comprising: extending atleast one display device along an inner sidewall of a vehicle to span atleast two seats disposed in successive rows, the display device beingresponsive to input commands from passengers for displaying informationand images thereon; operatively connecting a control module to the atleast one display device; and setting at least one virtual boundary onthe at least one display device from the control module, the at leastone virtual boundary defining user-specific regions for passengerinteraction.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein dynamically setting theat least one virtual boundary comprises setting the at least one virtualboundary as a function of a seat pitch between the successive rows. 14.The method of claim 12, further comprising inputting a seat pitchbetween the successive rows, and setting the at least one virtualboundary as a function of the seat pitch.
 15. The method of claim 12,further comprising inputting one of a selection of seats defining a zoneand a zone comprising a set of pre-selected seats, and a seat pitchbetween the successive rows of the zone, and setting the at least onevirtual boundary as a function of the seat pitch for the zone.
 16. Themethod of claim 12, wherein setting the at least one virtual boundarycomprises applying virtual boundaries to a plurality of zones in thevehicle, each one of the zones defining a set of seats in successiverows, wherein the virtual boundaries in a first zone define regions of asize that differs from the virtual boundaries in a second zone.
 17. Themethod of claim 16, wherein the first zone comprises a plurality ofsuccessive rows, the second zone is adjacent to the first zone andcomprises a single row, and a third zone adjacent to the second zonecomprises a plurality of successive rows, the virtual boundaries in thefirst and the third zones defining regions of a size that differs fromthe virtual boundaries in the second zone.
 18. The method of claim 16,wherein at least two of the plurality of zones span a same displaydevice.
 19. The method of claim 12, wherein extending at least onedisplay device comprises extending a plurality of display devices andfurther comprising inputting a selected display device from theplurality of display devices to the control module for applying the atleast one virtual boundary thereto.
 20. The method of claim 12, whereinoperatively connecting a control module to the at least one displaydevice comprises connecting the control module and the at least onedisplay device wirelessly.
 21. The method of claim 12, furthercomprising displaying borders on the display device at the at least onevirtual boundary to visually define the user-specific regions.
 22. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the at least one virtual boundary is asubstantially vertical boundary that separates the display device intothe user-specific regions.
 23. A method for providing an interactivesidewall display system having at least one display device extendingalong an inner sidewall of a vehicle and spanning at least two seatsdisposed in successive rows, the at least one display device beingresponsive to input commands from passengers for displaying informationand images thereon, the method comprising setting at least one virtualboundary on the at least one display device from a control moduleoperatively connected to the at least one display device, the at leastone virtual boundary defining user-specific regions for passengerinteraction.